DesktopApplication · Docker
CVE-2025-3224
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedA vulnerability in the update process of Docker Desktop for Windows versions prior to 4.41.0 could allow a local, low-privileged attacker to escalate privileges to SYSTEM. During an update, Docker Desktop attempts to delete files and subdirectories under the path C:\ProgramData\Docker\config with high privileges. However, this directory often does not exist by default, and C:\ProgramData\ allows normal users to create new directories. By creating a malicious Docker\config folder structure at this location, an attacker can force the privileged update process to delete or manipulate arbitrary system files, leading to Elevation of Privilege.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in Docker Desktop for Windows versions prior to 4.41.0. During updates, the privileged update process attempts to delete files under C:\ProgramData\Docker\config, but since this directory doesn't exist by default and normal users can create directories under C:\ProgramData\, an attacker can create a malicious folder structure to force the SYSTEM-level update process to delete or manipulate arbitrary files.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
DesktopApplication
< 4.41.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Verify Docker Desktop for Windows is installedOpen PowerShell and run: Get-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*' | Where-Object {$_.DisplayName -like '*Docker*'} | Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersionAffected if No Docker Desktop entry is found in the registry, the system is not affected by this specific Windows vulnerability.
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Determine the installed Docker Desktop versionRun: docker --version OR check the registry key 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Docker Inc.\Docker\Docker Desktop' for Version valueAffected if The installed version is lower than 4.41.0, indicating the affected version range.
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Check for the target directory absenceRun: Test-Path 'C:\ProgramData\Docker\config'Affected if This path returns False (directory does not exist), creating the condition where an attacker could create a malicious folder structure.
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Inspect C:\ProgramData\ for unexpected Docker foldersRun: Get-ChildItem 'C:\ProgramData\Docker*' -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name, FullNameAffected if Unexpected or newly created folders under C:\ProgramData\Docker\ (other than standard config folders) may indicate an attacker's malicious folder structure attempt.
A Windows system is affected if Docker Desktop version is below 4.41.0 AND the C:\ProgramData\Docker\config directory does not exist, allowing privilege escalation via the update process.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped4.41.0
Upgrade Docker Desktop to version 4.41.0 or later, which addresses the improper path validation in the update process.
Docker Desktop 4.41.0 or later
- Back up any critical data and Docker configurations before upgrading
- Download Docker Desktop version 4.41.0 or later from the official Docker website (https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop/)
- Stop any running Docker Desktop instances
- Run the Docker Desktop installer with administrator privileges
- Follow the on-screen installation prompts to complete the upgrade
- Restart your system if prompted or manually restart Docker Desktop
- Verify the upgrade was successful by checking Docker Desktop version (Help > About Docker Desktop)
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Desktop
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-3224 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-3224 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data